by Brian Major
Last updated: 12:45 PM ET, Thu October 22, 2015
PHOTO: JetBlue is expanding its service to Barbados with new flights from Fort Lauderdale. (Photo by Brian Major)
JetBlue Airways is expanding its service to Barbados with the addition of a daily roundtrip flight between Fort Lauderdale International Airport and Barbados' Grantley Adams International Airport, said Robin Hayes, the company' president and CEO.
The airline's new daily roundtrip service will launch in April 2016, subject to government approval; seats will go on sale in the coming weeks said Hayes, speaking at the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)'s State of the Industry Conference in Curacao.
The new service marks the third U.S. city from which JetBlue will offer non-stop flights to Barbados. The airline first launched service from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport in 2009 and will begin service from Boston's Logan International Airport this fall.
"Vibrant Caribbean communities like Barbados are critical to our success," said Hayes, who said the southern Caribbean nation represents "a terrific example of a destination where we have a true partnership with the tourism ministry, the airport, and local hoteliers."
He credited "the U.S.-Barbados open skies agreement, and so many of the open skies agreements the U.S. has with other nations," with allowing JetBlue "to continuously add new low fare services like this one."
JetBlue's Boston-Barbados flights will launch on Nov. 7; on the same day, the airline will also launch seasonal New York-Barbados flights featuring its Mint premium service. JetBlue's Mint service between Boston and Barbados is scheduled to begin in March 2016.
Hayes said JetBlue's Barbados service from Fort Lauderdale will provide the airline's customers with more convenient connection options from numerous JetBlue destinations including the western U.S. cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas.
"The new service is a clear indication of the strong partnership we have with JetBlue," said Richard Sealy, Barbados' minister of tourism and international transport. "It has been our intention for quite some time to increase the direct service we have out of the U.S."
Added Sealy, "Florida is the fourth most populous state, one of the fastest growing and is certainly a very attractive urban center. [The expanded service] is a significant step to ensure continued growth in our U.S. arrivals."
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
